31654814. Maurice 'The Bald' FitzMaurice 3rd Lord of Offaly FitzGerald
FACT: He succeeded as 3rd Lord of Offaly on 20 May 1257, upon the death of his father at Youghal Monastery, bypassing the rightful heir to the barony, his nephew Maurice (died 1268), son of his elder brother, Gerald FitzMaurice FitzGerald who had died in 1243.
In May 1262, he was among the chief magnates in Ireland summoned to inform King Henry III of England and his son Prince Edward about conditions in the country. He was summoned again in June 1265. Maurice was appointed Justiciar of Ireland on 23 June 1272 following the accidental death of his predecessor, James de Audley on 11 June of that year; his father had served in the same capacity from 1232 to 1245. Maurice himself held the post until September 1273, when he was succeeded by Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, Seigneur de Vaucouleurs.
He held four knight's fees in both Lea and Geashill from Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore who had inherited them from his wife, Maud de Braose.
In 1276, he led a force of men from Connacht against the Irish clans of County Wicklow. Maurice's contingent joined the main army of Normans jointly commanded by his son-in-law, Thomas de Clare, Lord of Inchiquin and Youghal who had been made Lord of Thomond earlier that same year, and Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, Maurice's successor as Justiciar of Ireland. The Normans under Lords Thomond and Justiciar de Geneville attacked the Irish at Glenmalure, but were defeated and suffered heavy losses.
31654816. Henry Iii Plantagenet King of England
Reigned 56 years as the first child-king in England since the Norman Conquest.
Personal accomplishments were slim, and he was a political and military failure. England prospered, however, and his greatest achievement was Westminster Abbey, the seat of his government.
Continually fought with barons over the Magna Carta and royal rights, eventually forced to call the first "Parliament" in 1264.